The World Factbook

Central America and Caribbean :: Nicaragua Introduction :: Nicaragua

Background: The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. After losing free and fair elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra was elected president in 2006 and reelected in 2011. The 2008 municipal elections, 2010 regional elections, November 2011 presidential elections, and 2012 municipal elections were marred by widespread irregularities. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt, but democratic institutions have been weakened under the ORTEGA administration.

Geography :: Nicaragua

Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 85 00 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 130,370 sq km country comparison to the world: 98 land: 119,990 sq km water: 10,380 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than New York state Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km Coastline: 910 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation Climate: tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands Terrain: extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m Natural resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish Land use: arable land: 14.57% permanent crops: 1.76% other: 83.66% (2011) Irrigated land: 942.4 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 196.6 cu km (2011) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 1.39 cu km/yr (23%/4%/73%) per capita: 265.9 cu m/yr (2008) Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (elev. 728 m), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People and Society :: Nicaragua

Nationality: noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5% Languages: Spanish (official) 95.3%, Miskito 2.2%, Mestizo of the Caribbean coast 2%, other 0.5% note: English and indigenous languages found on the Caribbean coast (2005 est.) Religions: Roman Catholic 58.5%, Protestant 23.2% (Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%), Jehovah's Witnesses 0.9%, other 1.6%, none 15.7% (2005 est.) Demographic profile: Despite being one of the poorest countries in Latin America, Nicaragua has improved its access to potable water and sanitation and has ameliorated its life expectancy, infant and child mortality, and immunization rates. However, income distribution is very uneven, and the poor, agriculturalists, and indigenous people continue to have less access to healthcare services. Nicaragua's total fertility rate has fallen from around 6 children per woman in 1980 to just above replacement level today, but the high birth rate among adolescents perpetuates a cycle of poverty and low educational attainment. Nicaraguans emigrate primarily to Costa Rica and to a lesser extent the United States. Nicaraguan men have been migrating seasonally to Costa Rica to harvest bananas and coffee since the early 20th century. Political turmoil, civil war, and natural disasters from the 1970s through the 1990s dramatically increased the flow of refugees and permanent migrants seeking jobs, higher wages, and better social and healthcare benefits. Since 2000, Nicaraguan emigration to Costa Rica has slowed and stabilized. Today roughly 300,000 Nicaraguans are permanent residents of Costa Rica - about 75% of the foreign population - and thousands more migrate seasonally for work, many illegally. Population: 5,848,641 (July 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.3% (male 873,545/female 839,853) 15-24 years: 22.4% (male 657,076/female 652,856) 25-54 years: 38% (male 1,051,656/female 1,173,084) 55-64 years: 4.8% (male 147,405/female 169,618) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 127,699/female 155,849) (2014 est.) Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 59.9 % youth dependency ratio: 52.5 % elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 % potential support ratio: 13.5 (2013) Median age: total: 24.2 years male: 23.3 years female: 25.1 years (2014 est.) Population growth rate: 1.02% (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 Birth rate: 18.41 births/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 Death rate: 5.07 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 Net migration rate: -3.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 Urbanization: urban population: 57% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) Major urban areas - population: MANAGUA (capital) 934,000 (2009) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2014 est.) Mother's mean age at first birth: 19.7 note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2007 est.) Maternal mortality rate: 95 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 76 Infant mortality rate: total: 20.36 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 88 male: 23.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.72 years country comparison to the world: 130 male: 70.57 years female: 74.98 years (2014 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.99 children born/woman (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 Contraceptive prevalence rate: 72.4% (2006/07) Health expenditures: 10.1% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 26 Physicians density: 0.37 physicians/1,000 population (2003) Hospital bed density: 1.1 beds/1,000 population (2011) Drinking water source: improved: urban: 97.6% of population rural: 67.8% of population total: 85% of population unimproved: urban: 2.4% of population rural: 32.2% of population total: 15% of population (2011 est.) Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 63.2% of population rural: 37% of population total: 52.1% of population unimproved: urban: 36.8% of population rural: 63% of population total: 47.9% of population (2011 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,600 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2013) Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 22.2% (2008) country comparison to the world: 81 Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5.7% (2007) country comparison to the world: 85 Education expenditures: 4.6% of GDP (2010) country comparison to the world: 88 Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78% male: 78.1% female: 77.9% (2005 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years male: 10 years female: 11 years (2002) Child labor - children ages 5-14: total number: 223,992 percentage: 14 % note: data represents children ages 5-17 (2005 est.) Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 8.6% country comparison to the world: 118 male: 8.1% female: 9.7% (2006) Government :: Nicaragua

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua Government type: republic Capital: name: Managua geographic coordinates: 12 08 N, 86 15 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 19 November 1986, effective 9 January 1987; amended several times, last in 2007 (2007) Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Moises Omar HALLESLEVENS Acevedo (since 10 January 2012); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Moises Omar HALLESLEVENS Acevedo (since 10 January 2012) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 6 November 2011 (next to be held by November 2016) election results: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra 62.5%, Fabio GADEA 31%, Arnoldo ALEMAN 5.9%, other 0.6% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election) elections: last held on 6 November 2011 (next to be held by November 2016) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 62, PLI/MRS 26, PLC 2 Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia ( consists of 16 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and constitutional chambers) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by the National Assembly to serve 5-year staggered terms subordinate courts: Appeals Court; first instance civil, criminal, and military courts Political parties and leaders: Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Carlos CANALES] Conservative Party or PC [Alejandro BOLANOS Davis] Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Indalecio RODRIGUEZ] Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Maria Haydee OSUNA] Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Alejandro MEJIA Ferreti] Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra] Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Ana Margarita VIJIL] Political pressure groups and leaders: National Workers Front or FNT (a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions including: Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN) Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT (an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including: Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS) Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN (an independent labor union) Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP (a confederation of business groups) International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Obadiah CAMPBELL Hooker (since 23 June 2010) chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, 6573 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Phyllis M. POWERS (since 24 April 2012) embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] 2252-7100, 2252-7888; 2252-7634 (after hours) FAX: [505] 2252-7250 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water note: similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band National symbol(s): turquoise-browed motmot (bird) National anthem: name: "Salve a ti, Nicaragua" (Hail to Thee, Nicaragua) lyrics/music: Salomon Ibarra MAYORGA/traditional, arranged by Luis Abraham DELGADILLO note: although only officially adopted in 1971, the music was approved in 1918 and the lyrics in 1939; the tune, originally from Spain, was used as an anthem for Nicaragua from the 1830's until 1876 Economy :: Nicaragua

Economy - overview: Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty. The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Textiles and agriculture combined account for nearly 50% of Nicaragua's exports. The ORTEGA administration's promotion of mixed business initiatives, owned by the Nicaraguan and Venezuelan state oil firms, together with the weak rule of law, could undermine the investment climate for domestic and international private firms in the near-term. Nicaragua relied on an IMF external credit facility to meet internal- and external-debt financing obligations. The most recent IMF program ended in 2011 and Nicaragua is currently in negotiations for a new program. Nicaragua depends heavily on foreign development assistance, however, donors have curtailed this funding in response to November 2008 and subsequent electoral fraud. Nicaragua still struggles with a relatively high public debt burden. GDP (purchasing power parity): $27.86 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $26.74 billion (2012 est.) $25.42 billion (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars GDP (official exchange rate): $11.28 billion (2013 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 5.2% (2012 est.) 5.4% (2011 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,500 (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 $4,400 (2012 est.) $4,200 (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 86.1% government consumption: 10.3% investment in fixed capital: 34.4% exports of goods and services: 38.6% imports of goods and services: -69.5% (2013 est.) GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 17.1% industry: 25.5% services: 57.5% (2013 est.) Agriculture - products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp, lobsters, cotton Industries: food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, knit and woven apparel, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood, electric wire harness manufacturing, mining Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 Labor force: 3.039 million (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 28% industry: 19% services: 53% (2010 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.2% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 7.4% (2012 est.) note: underemployment was 46.5% in 2008 Population below poverty line: 42.5% (2009) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 41.8% (2005) Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.5 (2010) country comparison to the world: 56 60.3 (1998) Budget: revenues: $2.885 billion expenditures: $2.918 billion (2013 est.) Taxes and other revenues: 25.6% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -0.3% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 Public debt: 57.4% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 58.6% of GDP (2012 est.) note: official data; data cover general Government Debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by Government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions; Nicaragua rebased its GDP figures in 2012, which reduced the figures for debt as a percentage of GDP Fiscal year: calendar year Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 189 7.2% (2012 est.) Central bank discount rate: 3% (31 December 2010 est.) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 12% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 11.99% (31 December 2012 est.) Stock of narrow money: $923.6 million (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $788.4 million (31 December 2012 est.) Stock of broad money: $3.136 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 $2.924 billion (31 December 2010 est.) Stock of domestic credit: $4.268 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $4.567 billion (31 December 2012 est.) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Current account balance: -$1.578 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 -$1.35 billion (2012 est.) Exports: $4.278 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $4.157 billion (2012 est.) Exports - commodities: coffee, beef, gold, sugar, peanuts, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, cigars, automobile wiring harnesses, textiles, apparel, cotton Exports - partners: US 55.6%, Canada 8.6%, Venezuela 7.3%, El Salvador 4.2% (2012) Imports: $6.608 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $6.45 billion (2012 est.) Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products Imports - partners: US 19%, Venezuela 14.8%, Mexico 12.2%, Costa Rica 8.5%, Guatemala 8%, China 7.9%, El Salvador 4.7% (2012) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.89 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $1.887 billion (31 December 2012 est.) Debt - external: $8.16 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $7.79 billion (31 December 2012 est.) Exchange rates: cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 24.77 (2013 est.) 23.547 (2012 est.) 21.356 (2010 est.) 20.34 (2009) 19.374 (2008)

Energy :: Nicaragua

Electricity - production: 3.824 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 Electricity - consumption: 2.941 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 Electricity - exports: 43 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 Electricity - imports: 10 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 Electricity - installed generating capacity: 1.108 million kW (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 Electricity - from fossil fuels: 66% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 9.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 Electricity - from other renewable sources: 24.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 Crude oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 Crude oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 Crude oil - imports: 16,020 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 Crude oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 174 Refined petroleum products - production: 15,870 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 Refined petroleum products - consumption: 30,690 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 Refined petroleum products - exports: 999.6 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 Refined petroleum products - imports: 15,830 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 181 Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy: 5.035 million Mt (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 Communications :: Nicaragua

Telephones - main lines in use: 320,000 (2012) country comparison to the world: 112 Telephones - mobile cellular: 5.346 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 108 Telephone system: general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of the formerly state-owned telecommunications company domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved; fixed-line teledensity roughly 5 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased to roughly 85 per 100 persons international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011) Broadcast media: multiple privately owned terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by cable TV in most urban areas; of more than 100 radio stations, nearly all are privately owned; Radio Nicaragua is government-owned and Radio Sandino is controlled by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) (2007) Internet country code: .ni Internet hosts: 296,068 (2012) country comparison to the world: 63 Internet users: 199,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 141 Transportation :: Nicaragua

Airports: 147 (2013) country comparison to the world: 40 Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2013) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 135 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 119 (2013) Pipelines: oil 54 km (2013) Roadways: total: 22,111 km country comparison to the world: 104 paved: 2,850 km unpaved: 19,261 km (2010) Waterways: 2,220 km (navigable waterways as well as the use of the large Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua; rivers serve only the sparsely populated eastern part of the country) (2011) country comparison to the world: 40 Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Bluefields, Corinto Military :: Nicaragua

Military branches: National Army of Nicaragua (Ejercito Nacional de Nicaragua, ENN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2013) Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; tour of duty 18-36 months; requires Nicaraguan nationality and 6th-grade education (2012) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,452,107 females age 16-49: 1,552,698 (2010 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,227,757 females age 16-49: 1,335,653 (2010 est.) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 69,093 female: 67,522 (2010 est.) Military expenditures: 0.63% of GDP (2012) country comparison to the world: 120 0.53% of GDP (2011) 0.63% of GDP (2010)

Transnational Issues :: Nicaragua

Disputes - international: the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing